


Fair Play

by AngieFeeshFeesh



Series: SOLDIER Tales [2]
Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Boys playing video games, Domestic soldier boys are my weakness, Gen, M/M, One-Shot, This is becoming a thing, i'm not even sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23463808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngieFeeshFeesh/pseuds/AngieFeeshFeesh
Summary: Angeal just wanted to go to the grocery store, but Zack and Cloud's competitive shenanigans prove to be too much of a distraction for him.
Relationships: Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Series: SOLDIER Tales [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707139
Comments: 12
Kudos: 90





	Fair Play

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I'm writing a collection of domestic SOLDIER boy interactions now hehe
> 
> I'm not really sorry.

"Boys, Genesis and I are going to the store. Do you want to come with us?"

Angeal wasn't looking up as he crept out from his bedroom, far more preoccupied with counting some loose change in his palm. When he didn't hear any reply to what he'd said, though, mako blue eyes lifted to find out what had Zack and Cloud so busy.

Then he had to do a double-take.

The two were sitting side by side on the living room carpet, no shoes, socks on, both with legs crossed and huge eyes utterly locked on the mounted television screen on the far wall across from them. They were playing a car racing game on split-screen, and they were both so hyper-focused that Angeal was willing to bet they hadn't even heard him talking a moment ago. They just kept mashing buttons, leaning their bodies in the direction their cars were driving in, almost synchronized in their movements. If Angeal didn't know them as well as he did, he probably would have been more concerned at their zombified expressions. Instead, he couldn't help but grin as he watched, tucking his change into his pocket and making his way closer for a better view.

Now, Angeal wasn't a master of video games or anything but he played them often enough with Zack to have an idea of what was happening on the screen. It looked like they were neck-and-neck, both so evenly matched that the first and second place positions kept switching between them. When they hit the fifth lap out of ten, Angeal couldn't resist glancing down at the pair--and paused with a blink. Why were they sitting on the floor...?

"Ah... Either of you want anything from the grocery store?"

He was met by a delayed mixture of hummed rejection and shaking heads. Standing behind the couch, Angeal leaned forward to cross his arms over the back.

"...Would you like to come with us?"

"No thanks--"

"Yeah, m'good--"

Both boys leaned hard to the right, Cloud's car overtaking the lead. Angeal caught himself leaning slightly too and quickly stood up straight. Neither Zack nor Cloud noticed.

"Genesis wants grilled barbeque steak for dinner. That alright for you two?"

A partial lean to the left. Zack was sticking his tongue out and Cloud's forehead was wrinkled in concentration.

"Yeah, sure--" Zack mumbled, only to burst out in a hiss as his car skidded around a turn too sharply and ended up flying off-road. Cloud's first place position was all but guaranteed by the time he crossed into the sixth lap.

"Agh, _damnit_ , Cloud--!!"

"Nya-hah!" The blondie grinned. Angeal leaned forward even more, matching Cloud's excitement with a smirk of his own.

"Just take the shortcut, Zack--"

_"Yeah_ , m'workin' on it!" Zack grumbled loudly as he fought to get his car back in the race. He was sure he could still turn this around--!

Tense silence followed, filled only by the sounds of the game. By the time Cloud circled around to close in on the seventh lap, Zack had managed to worm his way back to fourth place; by the eighth lap, he and Cloud were side by side again, carrying on that way into the nineth with no clear first or second place winner yet. Angeal wasn't sure when he'd landed himself on the couch cushion to enjoy the show more comfortably but he was quickly on the edge of his seat.

"Cut the wheel, Zack, _cut the wheel!"_

"Will you lay off?! I know what I'm doing, Angie!"

"Tenth lap, baby~!" Cloud beamed as his car zoomed over the line, just barely a nose ahead of Zack's.

"Agh, seriously--?!"

Zack had moved to kneel on one leg by then while Cloud was up on both knees grinning mischievously. Both of them were still on the floor, of course, but that hardly seemed to matter as the game's music picked up, a little on-screen light show celebrating the fact that they were finally in the last lap.

That was about the time when Genesis appeared behind the couch. He stood there watching for a spell, flicking his eyes between the three and the TV screen more than once. "Angie," he called. "I'm ready to go to the store."

Perhaps not his wisest move ever, since Genesis wasn't typically fond of being forced to wait for things, Angeal didn't budge his gaze off the game. "In a minute, Gen--"

They were halfway through the course already, Zack actually managing to pull his car up along the inside of a wide turn and make it in to the front. First it was only for a heartbeat, but then he bumped his car into Cloud's. Bumped, bumped, slowly wriggled further and further ahead.

Cloud gasped, his expression betrayed as his position officially dropped to a big silver "2nd" in the upper right corner. _"No!!_ You jerk!"

_"Hah!"_ It was Zack's turn to laugh and grin, mashing buttons like crazy, blocking Cloud's car every time he tried to go around. They were nearly through, coming up to the final bend, closer and closer until finally--!!

_"Yes!!"_ Zack cried out loudly, throwing his arms high above in victory. Poor Cloud sat back on his folded knees with his arms crossed, pouting and making the grumpiest face that had Zack laughing.

"And to the victor go the spoils!"

"Spoils my _ass,"_ Cloud sighed. "I was so _close_ to winning this time!"

Zack tossed his arm around the blonde, beaming from ear to ear. "Aw, don't be like that, baby. You'll beat me someday!"

Cloud wasn't very happy to hear that but at least he wasn't sulking anymore, huffing out loud as he leaned into Zack's chest.

...Of course, then Zack had to go and shake Cloud by the shoulder, unable to contain himself for even a moment longer. "I mean. In your _dreams_ , that is!"

He cracked up laughing at himself, made worse when Cloud shoved him in the side. Zack allowed himself to flop back on the carpet, cackling and giggling until there were tears streaming from his eyes.

The only thing that finally succeeded to quiet him down was when his controller was suddenly whipped from his hand. Zack froze, laughter seizing to a halt in his throat. Mako eyes snapped open, looked up, just in time to watch Genesis plop into Angeal's lap on the couch.

_"Oof--!"_

"Wha--! Hey! What the hell, Gen?!"

The redhead smiled devilishly but wouldn't turn his eyes from the television, speeding through the credits to get back to the menu screen quickly. "How many times has he won, Choco?"

Cloud blinked stupidly at his mentor, surprised he even knew how to hold the controller properly, much less operate it. "Uhm--this was the third time."

"Hmph!" Genesis sneered towards Zack. "Well, then you leave me no choice, Zackary! _Someone_ has to avenge Cloud's honor!"

Angeal frowned, looking up in an attempt to see Genesis' face. "What about going to the store--?"

"Ohmygod," Like a child in a candy shop, Cloud's blue eyes became huge as he stared at the redhaired SOLDIER. "G--Genesis, you _play?_ Are you serious?"

"Very," was the purred response. "Zackary, if you know what's good for you, you'll take Cloud's controller and sit your ass down. I'm about to throttle your precious winning streak!"

Seemingly panicked for an instant, Zack quickly scrabbled for the forgotten controller. He and Cloud settled back on the floor while Genesis refused to sit anywhere that wasn't Angeal's lap.

As for the oldest of the group, the most Angeal could do was... sigh.

Maybe they should just order pizza instead.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!


End file.
